I recall reading, if I have this right, that the British government's response to the Great Famine in Ireland was inadequate in large part because there were no structures, no agencies in place—aside from the church—to render aid. We here are supposed to disdain bureaucracy & "pen-pushers" but they provide the means for government to have impact. Much of what did exist was dismantled starting in the Reagan years: Money was always tight, especially when needed to build up the military, & intervene in putative anti-communist movements the world over. Programs were cut, agencies defunded or eliminated; pretty much all that remained was law enforcement. And legislators rely on local law enforcement endorsements to win office, so they dare not cut it.

A cop once defined law enforcement as "providing services not otherwise available". That quickly became many, many services: drug treatment, mental health, housing, etc. And what can cops do but put folks in jail; charge them with crimes. That became all that remained, & remains.